Fuel Calorific Values & Densities
56 fuel calorific values & densities held in the GreenCalculus MasterBrain, drawn from UK DEFRA/DESNZ 2026; Nist Codata. Values are read live from the data layer on every page build, so nothing here is re-typed and nothing can drift from the figures the calculators use. They span 6 units of measurement — 24 of them in GJ per tonne — which is why the spread below is reported per unit and never blended.
Where these factors are used
Fuel, Distance and Energy Conversion and CO₂ Equivalencies set out how factors in this group are applied, and Scope 1 Stationary Combustion Calculator draws on them directly. Each value below names the upstream source it came from.
What this group contains
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Factors | 56 |
| Publishers | 2 |
| Distinct units | 6 |
| Data version | MB v2026.110 · updated 2026-08-08 |
| Unit | Factors | Lowest | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GJ per tonne | 24 | 25.405 | 44.3 | 141.781 |
| kg per m3 | 10 | 0.808 | 816.5665 | 983.284 |
| kWh per litre | 10 | 7.259 | 10.282 | 11.841 |
| kg per litre | 8 | 0.52975 | 0.81657 | 0.98328 |
| litres per tonne | 3 | 1171 | 1201.768 | 1204 |
Figures are computed per unit and never blended: a median across different units would be arithmetically valid and physically meaningless. 1 further unit in this group has fewer than 3 factors and is counted above but not described.
What has changed
| Factor | Was | Now | Change | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas — net calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 45.745 | 44.695 | -2.3% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Natural gas — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 50.678 | 49.521 | -2.3% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Natural gas — gross calorific value (kWh per kg) | 14.077 | 13.756 | -2.3% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Natural gas — density (kg per m3) | 0.802 | 0.808 | +0.7% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Petrol (average biofuel blend) — density (kg per litre) | 0.7462 | 0.75037 | +0.6% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Petrol (average biofuel blend) — density (kg per m3) | 746.204 | 750.368 | +0.6% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Petrol (average biofuel blend) — gross calorific value (kWh per litre) | 9.423 | 9.458 | +0.4% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Petrol (average biofuel blend) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 43.061 | 42.976 | -0.2% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Petrol (average biofuel blend) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 45.46 | 45.374 | -0.2% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Diesel (average biofuel blend) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 45.545 | 45.581 | +0.1% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Diesel (average biofuel blend) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 42.839 | 42.869 | +0.1% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Diesel (average biofuel blend) — gross calorific value (kWh per litre) | 10.531 | 10.536 | +0.0% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Diesel (average biofuel blend) — net calorific value (kWh per litre) | 9.905 | 9.909 | +0.0% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Diesel (average biofuel blend) — density (kg per m3) | 832.361 | 832.107 | -0.0% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Diesel (average biofuel blend) — volume-to-mass (litres per tonne) | 1201.402 | 1201.768 | +0.0% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Diesel (average biofuel blend) — density (kg per litre) | 0.83236 | 0.83211 | -0.0% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — net calorific value (kWh per litre) | 9.927 | 9.928 | +0.0% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 43.027 | 43.031 | +0.0% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 45.774 | 45.777 | +0.0% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Aviation turbine fuel — density (kg per m3) | 800.0 | 800 | +0.0% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Coal (domestic) — density (kg per m3) | 850.0 | 850 | +0.0% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — volume-to-mass (litres per tonne) | 1204.0 | 1204 | +0.0% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
| Gas oil (red diesel) — volume-to-mass (litres per tonne) | 1171.0 | 1171 | +0.0% | MB v2026.3 · 2026-06-18 |
Change history is reconstructed from every released edition of the data layer, v2025.13 to v2026.107. A factor absent from this table has held the same value throughout. A change shown as a dash moved off zero, where a percentage has no meaning.
Sources, citation & machine access
| Source | Publisher | Year | Licence |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK Government GHG Conversion Factors 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) | 2026 | Open Government Licence v3.0 |
| NIST Chemistry WebBook SRD 69 - CODATA Key Values for Thermodynamics | National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) | 1984 | NIST Standard Reference Data - US Government work |
Cite the upstream publisher for the values themselves. The reference below credits this compilation and, more usefully, pins the edition you read.
Say, Jeremiah (2026). Fuel Calorific Values & Densities (MasterBrain v2026.110). GreenCalculus. https://greencalculus.com/factors/fuel-calorific-values-and-densities/
Cite this factor group
Values change between editions. Quoting the MasterBrain version is what lets a reader resolve the exact number you used — see the change record above for factors in this group that have moved.
For a reference manager — BibTeX, then RIS:
@misc{greencalculus_fuel_properties_2026,
author = {Say, Jeremiah},
title = {Fuel Calorific Values & Densities},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {GreenCalculus},
note = {MasterBrain v2026.110},
url = {https://greencalculus.com/factors/fuel-calorific-values-and-densities/}
}TY - DATA
AU - Say, Jeremiah
TI - Fuel Calorific Values & Densities
PY - 2026
PB - GreenCalculus
ET - MasterBrain v2026.110
UR - https://greencalculus.com/factors/fuel-calorific-values-and-densities/
ER - Every factor on this page is readable from the open endpoint. No key, no signup:
https://greencalculus.com/wp-json/greencalculus/v1/factors/fuel_propertiescurl -s "https://greencalculus.com/wp-json/greencalculus/v1/factors/fuel_properties?limit=500"import requests
rows = requests.get("https://greencalculus.com/wp-json/greencalculus/v1/factors/fuel_properties", params={"limit": 500}).json()["factors"]
print(len(rows), "factors in fuel_properties")Or the same rows as a spreadsheet — every factor with its source, the edition it last changed in, and its own link:
https://greencalculus.com/wp-json/greencalculus/v1/factors-export?page=fuel-calorific-values-and-densitiesBoth responses carry an X-GC-Version header, so a consumer can detect a new edition without diffing the payload. The CSV filename carries the edition too, so two downloads months apart do not collide.
All factors
| Factor | Value | Unit | Basis | Source | Last changed | Canonical key |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aviation turbine fuel — density (kg per litre) | 0.8 | kg per litre | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Aviation turbine fuel | — | fuel_properties.aviation_fuel.density_kg_litre |
| Aviation turbine fuel — density (kg per m3) | 800 | kg per m3 | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Aviation turbine fuel | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.aviation_fuel.density_kg_m3 |
| Aviation turbine fuel — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 46.215 | GJ per tonne | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Aviation turbine fuel | — | fuel_properties.aviation_fuel.gross_cv_gj_tonne |
| Aviation turbine fuel — gross calorific value (kWh per litre) | 10.27 | kWh per litre | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Aviation turbine fuel | — | fuel_properties.aviation_fuel.gross_cv_kwh_litre |
| Aviation turbine fuel — net calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 43.905 | GJ per tonne | NCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Aviation turbine fuel | — | fuel_properties.aviation_fuel.net_cv_gj_tonne |
| Burning oil — density (kg per litre) | 0.80257 | kg per litre | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Burning oil | — | fuel_properties.burning_oil.density_kg_litre |
| Burning oil — density (kg per m3) | 802.568 | kg per m3 | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Burning oil | — | fuel_properties.burning_oil.density_kg_m3 |
| Burning oil — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 46.174 | GJ per tonne | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Burning oil | — | fuel_properties.burning_oil.gross_cv_gj_tonne |
| Burning oil — gross calorific value (kWh per litre) | 10.294 | kWh per litre | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Burning oil | — | fuel_properties.burning_oil.gross_cv_kwh_litre |
| Burning oil — net calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 43.865 | GJ per tonne | NCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Burning oil | — | fuel_properties.burning_oil.net_cv_gj_tonne |
| Coal (domestic) — density (kg per m3) | 850 | kg per m3 | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Coal (domestic) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.coal_domestic.density_kg_m3 |
| Coal (domestic) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 30.119 | GJ per tonne | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Coal (domestic) | — | fuel_properties.coal_domestic.gross_cv_gj_tonne |
| Coal (domestic) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 28.613 | GJ per tonne | NCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Coal (domestic) | — | fuel_properties.coal_domestic.net_cv_gj_tonne |
| Coal (industrial) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 26.742 | GJ per tonne | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Coal (industrial) | — | fuel_properties.coal_industrial.gross_cv_gj_tonne |
| Coal (industrial) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 25.405 | GJ per tonne | NCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Coal (industrial) | — | fuel_properties.coal_industrial.net_cv_gj_tonne |
| Diesel (average biofuel blend) — density (kg per litre) | 0.83211 | kg per litre | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (average biofuel blend) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.diesel.density_kg_litre |
| Diesel (average biofuel blend) — density (kg per m3) | 832.107 | kg per m3 | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (average biofuel blend) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.diesel.density_kg_m3 |
| Diesel (average biofuel blend) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 45.581 | GJ per tonne | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (average biofuel blend) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.diesel.gross_cv_gj_tonne |
| Diesel (average biofuel blend) — gross calorific value (kWh per litre) | 10.536 | kWh per litre | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (average biofuel blend) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.diesel.gross_cv_kwh_litre |
| Diesel (average biofuel blend) — volume-to-mass (litres per tonne) | 1201.768 | litres per tonne | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (average biofuel blend) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.diesel.litres_per_tonne |
| Diesel (average biofuel blend) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 42.869 | GJ per tonne | NCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (average biofuel blend) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.diesel.net_cv_gj_tonne |
| Diesel (average biofuel blend) — net calorific value (kWh per litre) | 9.909 | kWh per litre | NCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (average biofuel blend) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.diesel.net_cv_kwh_litre |
| Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — density (kg per litre) | 0.83057 | kg per litre | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (100% mineral diesel) | — | fuel_properties.diesel_100_mineral.density_kg_litre |
| Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — density (kg per m3) | 830.565 | kg per m3 | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (100% mineral diesel) | — | fuel_properties.diesel_100_mineral.density_kg_m3 |
| Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 45.777 | GJ per tonne | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (100% mineral diesel) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.diesel_100_mineral.gross_cv_gj_tonne |
| Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — gross calorific value (kWh per litre) | 10.561 | kWh per litre | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (100% mineral diesel) | — | fuel_properties.diesel_100_mineral.gross_cv_kwh_litre |
| Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — volume-to-mass (litres per tonne) | 1204 | litres per tonne | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (100% mineral diesel) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.diesel_100_mineral.litres_per_tonne |
| Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 43.031 | GJ per tonne | NCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (100% mineral diesel) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.diesel_100_mineral.net_cv_gj_tonne |
| Diesel (100% mineral diesel) — net calorific value (kWh per litre) | 9.928 | kWh per litre | NCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Diesel (100% mineral diesel) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.diesel_100_mineral.net_cv_kwh_litre |
| Fuel oil — density (kg per litre) | 0.98328 | kg per litre | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Fuel oil | — | fuel_properties.fuel_oil.density_kg_litre |
| Fuel oil — density (kg per m3) | 983.284 | kg per m3 | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Fuel oil | — | fuel_properties.fuel_oil.density_kg_m3 |
| Fuel oil — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 43.353 | GJ per tonne | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Fuel oil | — | fuel_properties.fuel_oil.gross_cv_gj_tonne |
| Fuel oil — gross calorific value (kWh per litre) | 11.841 | kWh per litre | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Fuel oil | — | fuel_properties.fuel_oil.gross_cv_kwh_litre |
| Fuel oil — net calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 40.752 | GJ per tonne | NCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Fuel oil | — | fuel_properties.fuel_oil.net_cv_gj_tonne |
| Gas oil (red diesel) — density (kg per litre) | 0.85397 | kg per litre | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Gas oil (red diesel) | — | fuel_properties.gas_oil.density_kg_litre |
| Gas oil (red diesel) — density (kg per m3) | 853.971 | kg per m3 | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Gas oil (red diesel) | — | fuel_properties.gas_oil.density_kg_m3 |
| Gas oil (red diesel) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 45.286 | GJ per tonne | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Gas oil (red diesel) | — | fuel_properties.gas_oil.gross_cv_gj_tonne |
| Gas oil (red diesel) — gross calorific value (kWh per litre) | 10.742 | kWh per litre | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Gas oil (red diesel) | — | fuel_properties.gas_oil.gross_cv_kwh_litre |
| Gas oil (red diesel) — volume-to-mass (litres per tonne) | 1171 | litres per tonne | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Gas oil (red diesel) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.gas_oil.litres_per_tonne |
| Gas oil (red diesel) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 42.569 | GJ per tonne | NCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Gas oil (red diesel) | — | fuel_properties.gas_oil.net_cv_gj_tonne |
| Hydrogen — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 141.781 | GJ per tonne | GCV | NIST_CODATAH2O standard enthalpy of formation, LIQUID: -285.830 +/- 0.040 kJ/mol (CODATA Review, Cox/Wagman et al. 1984) | — | fuel_properties.hydrogen.gross_cv_gj_tonne |
| Hydrogen — net calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 119.953 | GJ per tonne | NCV | NIST_CODATAH2O standard enthalpy of formation, GAS: -241.826 +/- 0.040 kJ/mol (CODATA Review, Cox/Wagman et al. 1984) | — | fuel_properties.hydrogen.net_cv_gj_tonne |
| LPG — density (kg per litre) | 0.52975 | kg per litre | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — LPG | — | fuel_properties.lpg.density_kg_litre |
| LPG — density (kg per m3) | 529.749 | kg per m3 | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — LPG | — | fuel_properties.lpg.density_kg_m3 |
| LPG — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 49.333 | GJ per tonne | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — LPG | — | fuel_properties.lpg.gross_cv_gj_tonne |
| LPG — gross calorific value (kWh per litre) | 7.259 | kWh per litre | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — LPG | — | fuel_properties.lpg.gross_cv_kwh_litre |
| LPG — net calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 45.944 | GJ per tonne | NCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — LPG | — | fuel_properties.lpg.net_cv_gj_tonne |
| Natural gas — density (kg per m3) | 0.808 | kg per m3 | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Natural gas | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.natural_gas.density_kg_m3 |
| Natural gas — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 49.521 | GJ per tonne | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Natural gas | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.natural_gas.gross_cv_gj_tonne |
| Natural gas — gross calorific value (kWh per kg) | 13.756 | kWh per kg | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Natural gas | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.natural_gas.gross_cv_kwh_kg |
| Natural gas — net calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 44.695 | GJ per tonne | NCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Natural gas | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.natural_gas.net_cv_gj_tonne |
| Petrol (average biofuel blend) — density (kg per litre) | 0.75037 | kg per litre | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Petrol (average biofuel blend) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.petrol.density_kg_litre |
| Petrol (average biofuel blend) — density (kg per m3) | 750.368 | kg per m3 | — | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Petrol (average biofuel blend) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.petrol.density_kg_m3 |
| Petrol (average biofuel blend) — gross calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 45.374 | GJ per tonne | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Petrol (average biofuel blend) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.petrol.gross_cv_gj_tonne |
| Petrol (average biofuel blend) — gross calorific value (kWh per litre) | 9.458 | kWh per litre | GCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Petrol (average biofuel blend) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.petrol.gross_cv_kwh_litre |
| Petrol (average biofuel blend) — net calorific value (GJ per tonne) | 42.976 | GJ per tonne | NCV | DEFRA_2026'Fuel properties' tab — Petrol (average biofuel blend) | v2026.3 | fuel_properties.petrol.net_cv_gj_tonne |
Last changed names the data-layer edition in which a factor last took a new value, reconstructed from every released edition since v2025.13. A dash means the value has not moved since tracking began — which is the answer to "is the figure I used last year still current?".
Common questions
56 factors. They are read live from the GreenCalculus data layer on every page build rather than re-typed, so the figures here are the same ones the calculators use. The upstream publishers are UK Government GHG Conversion Factors 2026 and NIST Chemistry WebBook SRD 69 – CODATA Key Values for Thermodynamics.
Not without checking the unit first. This group spans 6 different units of measurement, the most common being GJ per tonne. A factor is only meaningful against the activity data its unit describes, which is why the spread on this page is reported per unit and never blended into a single average.
It names the measurement convention a factor is expressed on — GCV, NCV here. Applying a factor on one basis to activity data collected on another is the most common way these numbers produce a wrong answer, and it is silent: the arithmetic still works. Check the basis matches your meter or invoice before using a value.
23 of the 56 factors here have been revalued at least once since tracking began, most recently in v2026.3. The Last-changed column names the edition each one last moved in, and a dash means the value has not moved at all — which is the answer to “is the figure I used last year still current?”.
Every row has its own link. Click the canonical key in the last column and the address bar will hold an anchor for that one factor, so a citation resolves to the number itself rather than to a table someone has to search. Quote the data-layer edition alongside it (currently v2026.107) — values change between editions, and the version is what lets a reader resolve the exact figure you used.
Yes. This group is readable from an open endpoint with no key and no signup: https://greencalculus.com/wp-json/greencalculus/v1/factors/fuel_properties. Responses carry an X-GC-Version header so a consumer can detect a new edition without diffing the payload. Cite the upstream publisher for the values themselves.